Lincoln fires continue to burn; no major growth over the weekend

Arrastra Creek Fire courtesy of the Helena- Lewis and Clark National Forest Service

LINCOLN – Several fires continue to burn near Lincoln.

The Alice Creek, Park Creek and Arrastra Creek fires are burning in the Lincoln Ranger District.

The Alice Creek Fire, the newest fire, started on Saturday and has only burned an estimated 20 acres. Fire officials say the cause of the fire is still unknown. The fire is located 16 miles north of Lincoln and is zero percent contained.

26 people are working on the fire along with two helicopters assisting with buckets of water.

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On Monday, crews will continue to keep the heat in check with handline construction along the ridge because of safety concerns. The fire is burning on steep and rugged terrain and the firefighters want to minimize their exposure to the snag hazards.

As of Monday morning, no road closures were in effect for the Alice Creek Fire, but fire officials say that could change

The Park Creek Fire, the largest fire, grew from 2,725 to 2,900 acres over the weekend. Fire officials reported, as of Monday morning, the fire was only 18 percent contained.

The fire, located a few miles north of Lincoln, has been burning since July 14. Fire managers with the Northern Rockies Wildland Fire Managment Team said the fire burned actively through large, dead and downed trees.

There is a total of 184 people on the fire. Resources include one 20-person team, nine engines, heavy equipment and three helicopters.

The Arrastra Creek Fire, six miles northwest of Lincoln in the Lewis and Clark National Forest and west of the Park Creek Fire, is only 10 percent contained. As of Monday morning, it had burned a total of 2,501 acres.

There are 89 people working on the fire, which includes three 20-person crews, two engines and heavy equipment. Resources are being shared between the Park Creek and Arrastra Creek fires.

There is a temporary flight restriction in the area. Officials have restricted a five-mile radius around the Stonewall Mountain to 10,000 feet in elevation. Both the Arrastra Creek and Park Creek fires have sparked road and trail closures.

Fire officials reported that all three fires saw limited growth over the weekend despite their “active fire behavior”.

To manage both the Park Creek and Arrastra Creek fires, crews are working to utilize burn areas from previous fire years for containment. They are working to maximize the use of mechanical equipment to limit firefighters’ exposure to hazards and snags. Other safety concerns include the steep, rugged terrain and dead fuels. Fire officials said fuels are currently green in both areas but could get drier in the next few weeks.

Weather conditions on Monday are predicted to be relatively humid with warm temperatures and gusty winds. Isolated thunderstorms are a possibility.

For more information on the fires click here or follow the Helena-Lewis and Clark National Forest Facebook page.